In this post, I’m going to break down a sample best man speech into the individual components to give you an idea of how a simple best man speech can be written quickly.

The first part of the best man speech is the introduction. The introduction is similar for every type of wedding speech.  Basically, you want to identify yourself as half of the people in the audience will not know you.

Here’s a sample introduction from a best man speech:

“Ladies and gentleman, I’d like to take a few moments of your time to first thank all of you for being here to share this wonderful day with Robert and Sophie. I must pause to say that the bridesmaids are looking wonderful, and are only outshone by Sophie, who I’m sure everyone agrees looks stunning  today. What a beautiful bride!
Actually, I’m still trying to figure out what Robert did to deserve this beauty.
It’s been a huge privilege to be asked to be the best man, and I couldn’t say no, since a few years ago I conned Robert into doing the honors at my wedding, where he had a lot of fun telling embarrassing stories about my childhood. So, now it’s my turn. Revenge is sweet, my friend!
For those of you who don’t know, Robert and I grew up next to each other, and I really can’t remember a time when we weren’t best friends. We’ve been through everything together, from pre-school, to the horrors of kindergarten, middle school and braces, to high school, college, and now even weddings.”

As we can see from the opening few paragraphs of this best man speech, a few things have been accomplished:

1. the best man complimented the bride
2. the best man introduced himself as the best man and explained his relationship to Robert – (childhood friends)
3. he established the tone of the wedding speech which is light hearted

“I couldn’t have wished for more from a best friend my entire life, and he’s always been there for me. Sophie, I know he’s a rock solid man who will always be there for you now.
For all of you who don’t know, John and Sophie actually met in a very unique way. They both happen to frequent the same gym, and the first day that he saw Sophie walk in the door of that gym, he sort of walked, or fell rather, right off the back of the treadmill. So, I guess you can say he’s the one that fell first.
For some reason Sophie actually said yes to that first date, and things just progressed from here. In fact, ever since that first date, I haven’t stopped hearing about her. I have to say, Sophie, you’ve made my best friend a better man, and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather see in his life today.”

In the body of the wedding speech, the best man tells a relevant story about the bride and groom.

1. he tells a quick story (only 30 seconds) about how the bride and groom met and fell in love. The audience cares about this type of story as most people have no idea about how the bride and groom met.
2. he compliments the bride again with a warm hearted comment about how the bride has made the groom a better man
3. the best man has stayed consistent with the tone of the speech which is short and sweet

“So today, it’s my extreme pleasure to ask everyone to stand once again and raise your glasses to Robert and Sophie. I wish you well, my friends. May your life be one of laughter, joy, and love together – forever!”

Finally in the last part of the wedding speech, the best man gives a toast to the bride and groom. It is a simple toast that wishes the couple well.

As you can see, when you break down a best man speech into 3 simple parts (intro, story, toast) it is an easy task. If you’re nervous about public speaking, using a short speech like the one above is a great strategy.

I wanted to share a free best man speech with my loyal readers. Please click on the banner if you want to see 20 more best man speeches.

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I cannot think of a time when I’ve been more terrified of saying the wrong thing. You see, Mark is my best friend, and this is the biggest day of his life so far. That’s a lot of pressure for me not to screw this up. I have already been threatened with the “beats” in the parking lot if I say anything inappropriate.

So if I seem nervous, that’s because I am. I’m over here sweating and Mark and Melissa are just laughing and having a good time.  The expression on their faces says it all. These two are totally in love, aren’t they?
Believe it or not, these two have always had that expression on their faces, whenever they were around each other from the day they first met. I remember that night vividly. Mark and I were down at our favorite bar for the night, and spotted these two girls sitting by themselves, so we stroll over and sit down next to them and start talking—don’t worry the story gets even worse. So we’re going through the usual small talk and the girl I’m talking to is clearly not that interested in me. It was Sally, in case you’re wondering, she’s over there with the other bridesmaids. Don’t worry Sally, I’m not bitter. As a matter of fact you and all of the bridesmaids look stunning in those outfits.

Back to the story – so I struck out with Sally, but John and Melissa just clicked. The bad part came when the girls’ dates came and chased Mark and I off–but not before Mark got Melissa’s phone number.
From pretty much that night on, they were inseparable. You could see it in their eyes that they were absolutely in love with each other, and you can still see that today. Just look, aw come on, don’t look away Melissa. See those beautiful smiles everyone? Those are the smiles of two people completely in love.

It is my duty to leave you with a little bit of advice about marriage.  “Love one another and you will be happy.  It’s as simple and as difficult as that.”

So on to the part I’m sure you’re all looking forward to, the drinking and the dancing! But before we start the celebration in earnest, first please raise your glasses high for my best friend Mark, and his beautiful new wife Melissa.

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If you enjoyed this free best man speech and are looking for more best man speeches, click on the banner below!

Here’s a sample best man speech that is short, slightly humorous and easy to deliver. It was written to be delivered by a still single best man.

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It’s time for the best man’s speech everyone – and that’s me. This is my chance to tell a few old stories about my friend Bill, embarrass him in front of his new bride and her family, that sort of thing.

Oh, and I shouldn’t forget to compliment the bridesmaids, who look so beautiful in those dresses!
Weddings always have a special air about them but this reception has been most festive. An open bar and some of Bill’s rugby friends is most likely the reason.

Now I must say I’ve been waiting almost two years for Bill and Lisa to tie the knot. I mean really, it took you two long enough! You could have gotten married the day after you met and you know it.

I remember the day when Bill first brought Lisa to my cottage. I watched them snuggling on the dock, under the stars and at that point I knew my dear friend Bill was cooked. He’d found his soul mate and it was obvious to me then and it’s obvious to me now.
Well why did they wait for two years? Oh, just to be sure you say. No, you were sure from day one and you know it. You see, that is what’s special about these two. They have always been sure about each other. I have never met two people who were so right for each other. Don’t blush now, you two know its true. You see these two first
met when we were hanging out back in college.
Two years later, here we are. We’re here because they decided they wanted to be here, and they made it happen. And I know that is how their marriage will be… when they decide it’s going to work, then it will. That is
just the way that they are.
So with that mind, let’s raise our glasses high and wish these two a lifetime of happiness. It’s an easy toast to make, because I know they are going to make a lifetime of happiness for each other, no matter what. I cannot think of any two people more meant for each other. Here’s to the new Mr. & Mrs. Thompson!

Writing best man speeches should not be viewed as a daunting task. Most men who have little experience writing best man speeches also have little experience with public speaking. Aubsequently, they experience a lot of anxiety as the wedding day approaches.

Most men cannot even see that being chosen to write best man speeches is actually an honor and not an obligation. After all, both the bride and the groom have selected you among all their friends to deliver heartwarming toast in front of all of their friends and family.

When writing best man speeches the starting point is always the same. You need to brainstorm anecdotes and feelings about both the bride and the groom. The best way to jog your memory for content ideas is ask yourself the right questions.

First of all, why do you think that the groom has chosen you to be his best man? How long have you known the groom and on what basis have you developed a close friendship? You’ll want to describe your relationship as many members of the audience will not know why you were chosen to be best man. For example, perhaps you developed your relationship by playing league baseball or maybe you became friends because you are both members of the same tennis club. You want to include at least one sentence in best man speeches about the nature of your relationship.

The second brainstorming exercise for best man speeches is to come up with at least three adjectives that describe the groom. For example, you might think of the groom as adventurous, generous and fun loving. Chances are that the three adjectives that you used to describe the groom will also be how the audience perceives him. Once you have these three adjectives you can then start trying to remember some stories that help to add further color to your description of the groom. For example, if one of your adjectives is that the groom is generous you would then try and think of one or two stories that display the groom’s generosity. For example, maybe the groom has a tendency to pick up the bar tab after the league baseball game or maybe he donated a large amount of money when you were fundraising for cancer research in university. Of course, most of these stores will not make it into the body of your speech. The idea is only to come up with potential stories that you can tell during your best man speech.

Finally, when writing best man speeches it is important to say a few words about the groom’s relationship with the bride. You might want to comment on the first time that you met the bride or even the first time that you heard about the bride. Usually, you should be able to remember the first time that the groom mentioned that he was dating the bride. Try to remember the specific words that he used describe her.

After you have gone through this brief brainstorming exercise you should have a few pages of notes for your best man speech. You can then start plugging in your these  personal anecdotes into best man speeches examples.

The easiest way to create a best man speech is to first reference professionally written best man speech examples. The same way that a lawyer does not create a legal document from scratch, public speakers rarely create speeches from scratch. Similarly, for wedding speeches, it is advisable to consult with best man speech examples such as the speech below.

What a whirlwind of a day!  In the afternoon we were trying to get all the beautiful bridesmaids, all the handsome groomsmen, not to mention the stunning bride and the dashing groom, ready for this day of celebration. I have to say, Craig (groom)was surprisingly calm and collected–as if he knew what he was getting himself into.

Myself, I may appear to be relaxed right now but I was frantic in the morning. It was my job to dress the groomsmen and let’s just say they are not exactly black tie guys. Do you know how many times I had to explain to the groomsmen that you can’t wear black Converse sneakers with tuxedos?

Craig on the other woke up at 6 a.m. and was fully dressed and ready to go. I even thought that he might have slept in his tuxedo just to make sure that he was firing on all cylinders.

You know Craig has always been a man of uber intensity. When he knows what he wants he decides to go get it. I remember when we were kids, one day he decided he wanted to get this awesome 250CC Honda dirt bike. However, his parents were not the type to spoil Craig as they wanted to instill certain values in him. Craig worked odd jobs, landscaping in the 40 degree heat for $8 bucks an hour and shoveling snow from sidewalks in the blistering winter. For an entire year he worked his tail off for that dirt bike and eventually he bought it. That’s the kind of guy Craig is, when he knows what he wants he does whatever he has to do to get it.
I remember that look in Craig’s eyes after his first date with Dorothy. Man – how could I forget! I never knew what the word smitten meant until I saw this radiant glow shine off from his eyes. I looked at him and said, “another bachelor bites the dust.”
I think he knew from that night that he wanted to be here today, because he had met the perfect woman. It was love at first sight–well it wasn’t really first sight, but perhaps love at first date. These two have had that magical type of romance that I thought you only see in the movies.
I know I don’t have to tell them to cherish this day, and of course to cherish each other. I don’t have to tell them how special their relationship is, that they need to nurture and care for it. That they have to respect and care for each other, protect each other, love each other. I know these two, and I know that they know full well what they need to do, and what they’re going to do. So everyone, raise your glasses high. Join me in wishing these two wonderful souls a continued life of love, magic and most of all true friendship for the rest of their lives.

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As you can see by going through other best man speech examples on this site, there are a lot of different styles that you can choose to use. This best man speech example is rather casual, humorous, yet nonetheless it is warm and touching. Other speeches are more serious and sentimental. And some of the other best man speech examples available in our best man speech guidebook are strictly focused on humor and roasting the groom.

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, my name is (name) and I am honored to be the best man. As some of you know, (groom) and I have been friends for what feels like a lifetime. When he approached me to be his best man I thought ‘after everything he has done for me over the years, how could I say no?’

(Groom) taught me how to play poker when we were nine years old and then robbed me blind. (Groom) tricked me into trading my prized (name a valuable possession – eg – gold necklace) in return for a worthless (name something worthless- eg- G.I. Joe action figure).

Some of you may be wondering, why on earth would gorgeous girl like (bride) decide to marry (groom)? I asked groom that same question after a few gin and tonics, I might add, and his response was (enter something that the groom has a tendency to say) ‘I dunno, it’s not my looks, it’s not my charm, I’m disorganized and I forget important dates like anniversaries. I’m trying not to think about it.’ So I took to the streets and asked the blushing bride what she saw in (groom). Her response was a little more tender. She said – ‘he treats me like a queen. I couldn’t imagine that I would be loved the way he does.”

After observing the two of them together over the last (enter number of years) I cannot disagree with her. (Groom) looks at (bride) with puppy dog eyes and he has indeed found his queen. I have no doubts that he will be a devoted husband because (groom) has always been a loyal and trustworthy friend. He is the type of person who gives you his word and sticks to it…unless of course you’re playing poker or as a matter of fact dealing with money! I’ve been in a few pickles over the years and the first person I call is (groom).

For example, at the wedding rehearsal there was a lot of fighting between which bridesmaid would get a chance to walk down the aisle with me. It was (groom) who rescued me from being caught in the middle of the catfight. In all seriousness, the ravishing bridesmaids did a wonderful job today. From the wedding rehearsals through to (chief bridesmaid’s) touching speech, they all went beyond the call of duty. Except of course according to my book of wedding etiquette they are supposed to turn their attention to me which has not come even close to happening yet. The night is still young.

Traditionally the father of the bride toasts the lucky couple but I would like to toast them again.

May (groom) and (bride) be blessed with a marriage that is joyous, fulfilling each and every day.

To the Bride and Groom!

Other than the best man speech there are other best man duties during the wedding.

The honor attendants are the energizers for the wedding. It is the responsibility of everyone in the wedding party to make sure guests are having a good time and that they feel beautiful. Be generous with compliments, be helpful and be willing to assist in any way possible.
The Best Man should visit the reception room and party room (if possible) to make sure there are no potential issues with the space. It is much better to be proactive and head off any minor crisis.
If guests deliver gifts to the wedding ceremony site, the Best Man is responsible for delivering those gifts to the reception site. There should be a table in the receiving area of the church for gifts and a guest book.
If the reception food is being served buffet style, volunteer to get a plate of food and drink for the bride and groom.
MY BEST MAN ADVICE: If the food sits for a while, return it to the wait staff and refresh it with warm food.
Just before or just after the reception dinner, the Best Man is expected to give the first toast to the couple. Humor and sincerity are always the best approaches for this stellar moment. You want to capture the importance of the occasion, the significance of your friendship and your genuine good wishes for the Bride and Groom. At most receptions, the Maid of Honor and the Best Man dance at least once together. If both of you have significant others who attend the ceremony and reception as your dates, simply explain that the dance is a tradition.
MY BEST MAN ADVICE: If you find yourself in a tense situation, dance only part of the song with the Maid of Honor, then politely break away to dance with your significant other.
If tips are required for servers, busboys, disc jockeys, musicians or anyone else who provided services, the Best Man makes sure they’re paid at the end of the evening.

MY BEST MAN ADVICE: If this creates a financial strain for you, make sure you talk it over far in advance of the reception with the other groomsmen to see who is willing and able to pitch in. It is always easier to be up front about what you can responsibly handle paying for, and ask for help when you need it. According to most industry experts, Best Men pay between $400 and $1,000 for wedding expenses, including tuxedo rentals, the bachelor party and other incidental costs like traveling and hotel accommodations.
The Best Man and Maid of Honor are responsible for making sure all gifts and boxes are delivered to the bride and groom’s home when
the reception is over.
The Best Man coordinates transportation for the Bride and Groom or personally drives them to the wedding night hotel or the airport so that they can take off for their honeymoon.
MY BEST MAN ADVICE: If you do the driving yourself, be sure not to drink during the ceremony.
If the couple drives away in their own car, it will be your responsibility to decorate the car with peel away “Just Married” decals or window/glass markers. Use decorations that won’t destroy the paint on the car or make the windows permanently blurred.

These are other best man duties after the wedding in addition to best man speeches.

Other than the best man speech there are other best man duties during the wedding.

First of all, the Best Man sometimes offers to bring breakfast to the bride on the day of the wedding, and should always make sure that the groom has eaten breakfast.
MY BEST MAN ADVICE: Wake up early and pick up a quick breakfast for the groom and the groomsmen, and offer to pick up the same to deliver to the Maid of Honor for the women.
Coordinate and double check transportation arrangements the day before the wedding and the morning of the ceremony to make sure no one is left behind.
Be prepared as the Best Man to be the messenger and the fortress on the wedding day. There may be special messages or gifts the groom wants to give the family members or to his bride before the
actual ceremony begins. You should be ready and willing to deliver those messages or gifts.
MY BEST MAN ADVICE: Exchange cell phone numbers with the Maid of Honor, and keep in close communication with her throughout the day.

In this blog post I want to talk about the duties of a best man in addition to the best man speech.

The first of the best man duties is that you should plan to attend all parties where the groom will be present, including bachelor parties, engagement parties and the rehearsal dinner. The groom may ask you to take on specific tasks for any of these events.

MY BEST MAN ADVICE: Always ask about the appropriate attire for each event. Some will be casual, some may be themed, and some may be more formal.

The second of the best man duties is that you are expected to pay for and host the bachelor party. When it comes to how extravagant to make the party, it is always best to follow the lead of the groom. Some grooms are okay with exotic dancers, for example, while others prefer low-key bachelor parties. Take care not to engage in any activities that might make the groom – or his bride-to-be–feel uncomfortable.
MY BEST MAN ADVICE: Don’t be afraid to enlist the help of all the groomsmen in order to cover the costs.
The third of the best man duties is that you may enjoy the honor of assisting the wedding party with selecting tuxedos and accessories for the groomsmen. You should make sure that every member of the groom’s party gets fitted, pays for the tuxedo rentals and returns them on time after the wedding is over. If you have to volunteer to collect the suits and return them yourself, do that.
MY BEST MAN ADVICE: It is easiest to coordinate this task by contacting a bridal or tuxedo shop that has nationwide locations, so that groomsmen can be fitted in their hometowns and pick up their suits in the town where the wedding will take place.
The fourth of the best man duties is that you should serve as the point person for getting guests to and from the airport as they arrive for the wedding. He should be familiar with the wedding city and be prepared to delegate this responsibility to groomsmen and other attendants as necessary.
MY BEST MAN ADVICE: Print off direction “packets” to deliver to wedding guests beforehand, and offer to email the packets to out-of town guests.
Don’t forget to buy a gift for the couple. The flurry of other duties that the Best Man has can sometimes create a total memory lapse about the wedding gift.

Create a wedding day emergency kit a week before the wedding.

Items to include: A cell phone (always on vibrate!), maps, a GPS system or pre-written instructions to assist guests who are lost, a small camera, umbrellas, tissue, a medical emergency kit, needle and thread, nail repair kit, and any regular medications that the bride or groom might need.

All set? Let’s start then. First the positions in favor and the reasons supporting:

The number one point in support for making a funny best man speech will be that the speech will be more entertaining. Who doesn’t like to laugh? So many weddings are boring and the day is long. There is nothing better than having a good chuckle during dinner.

A 2nd point in favor could well be that the speech will be memorable. What’s easier to remember – humorous stories or factual stories? A great way to place your best man speech in the history books is to make if funny.

A 3rd favorable point is that you are supposed to roast the groom. Roasting the groom is wedding protocol that goes back hundreds of years and it actually transcends different cultures.

For balance then let’s listen to the opposite side, those opposed, the “Con” side:

Firstly, the point against is going to be that humor is not standardized. What this means is that what some people find funny is not what other people find funny. For example, Hollywood comedy movies are a tough sell internationally because comedy tastes vary from country to country. What’s humorous in Los Angeles is not what’s humorous in Paris. Similarly, the parts of your funny best man speech may only appeal to a small segment of the audience. Remember that a wedding audience is composed of several different generations. You could have a ten year old sitting next to great-Grandma Jane and their sense of humor will be vastly different.

The second point against will be that you might actually offend the bride or groom. Usually, in a funny best man speech your target is the groom who you are supposed to roast. However, on the odd occasion your jokes may actually offend the bride or groom.

A 3rd significant point against is that you may not be funny. Yes, sad as it is, not everyone is blessed with a good sense of humor. Some believe that it is something that you are either born with or not. Forcing jokes in front of an audience of a hundred people is most difficult for someone who is not accustomed to making people laugh. Every public speaker has a forte and if your strength is to speak in a touching and sentimental fashion there is no need to pretend that you are Conan O’brien.

So there we have all the arguments from each side.

And so, who won? What might we conclude? Is making a funny best man speech more good than bad? or more bad than good?

Both questions appear to have a “yes” answer! making a funny best man speech is both good and bad. It will have to be left up to your reader to make the decision. Which side, the good or the bad, has the preponderance of weight of opinion?